Saturday 14 December 1661

All the morning at home lying in bed with my wife till 11 o’clock. Such a habit we have got this winter of lying long abed. Dined at home, and in the afternoon to the office. There sat late, and so home and to bed.

20 Annotations

First Reading

Bob T  •  Link

Such a habit we have got this winter of lying long abed.

This entry brought back some uncomfortable memories of when I was a kid in England. The Brits at that time, and maybe still do, subscribed to the idea that if something is uncomfortable, or painful, then it must be character building. Hence unheated bedrooms, and cold water to wash in.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"Such a habit we have got this winter of lying long abed."

With Elisabeth as companion, utterly understandable...

vicenzo  •  Link

Saturday morns great pleasure, why get ones tootsies cccccccold, when one has such a cumfortable hot toastie wee pie to share lifes creature comforts with.

Pauline  •  Link

"...of lying long abed..."
And with the servants out of the bed and about their daily tasks, a great pleasure--more room, more intimacy.

Australian Susan  •  Link

"unheated bedrooms"
As a child & teenager in England in the '50s & 60s, I only ever had a heater in my bedroom if I was ill - until I was 15. Memories of thick ice on the inside of the windows, chilblains, scurrying into my parents' bedroom to dress by their fire, freezing passages between rooms with coal fires and wearing gloves and a hat in order to read in bed! Even now the smell of paraffin (kerosene) makes me think of illness because it was a paraffin heater in my room if ill.(not really quite the same league as Proust's Madeleine, is it?). Staying in bed because of the cold continued with the rural poor in England for centuries - there's a passage in Anne Bronte's 'The Tenent of Wildfell Hall" when Gilbert has to rouse a cottager out of bed for directions showing that the Brontes were aware of the plight of the poor - often laid off in winter & with no reason to get up early. One gets the feeling that Sam *was* rather enjoying himself lying in bed and felt guilty about it!

andy  •  Link

All the morning at home lying in bed with my wife till 11 o'clock.

can’t beat it!

Pedro.  •  Link

England in the '50s & 60s.

Much different now. Warmer and wetter winters, hardly any ice and snow, and no excuse to stop in bed.

vicenzo  •  Link

Our Sam missed a bit of _'unting with His Majesty.
Evelyn John did say today "I saw Otter hunting with his Majestie & killed one:"

vicenzo  •  Link

Today 2 bills came up: One: the Duke of Norfolk [the No 1 catholic layman] got his status restored and two : don't melt yer silver coins.
Bill presented to prevent the melting of Silver Coin.
The Earl of Bridgwater reported from the Committee, the Bill against melting of Silver Coin, as fit to pass, with some Amendments and Alterations; which are offered to their Lordships Consideration.
The said Alterations were read Twice, and the Debate put off until some other Time.
The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed.

From: British History Online
Source: House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 14 December 1661. Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11, ().
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 16/12/2004

vicenzo  •  Link

"... unheated bedrooms, and cold water to wash in..." how about unheated houses and unheated water to to shower with, and a WC with Ice in the bowl.

Pedro.  •  Link

"I saw Otter hunting with his Majestie & killed one:"

Something that her Majestie cannot do now. The otter is seen as an emblem for nature conservation in UK rivers. Not banned until 1978, after decline due to persecution and pesticides. But now making a slow come back.

Second Reading

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Vincenzo above filled you in on the Commons' agreement to the RC Duke of Norfolk regaining his lands.

They also further debated how to certify when a minister was qualified to be counted as a Church of England minister. They agreed with 2 of the 3 resolutions proposed by the Lords, and then ...
Message delivered to Lords.
Lord Herbert reports from the Lords, That, according to the Order of this House, he had delivered the Three Bills to the Lords: And had also acquainted the Lords, that this House desired a Conference upon the Second Amendment to the Bill for Confirming of private Acts: And that the Lords had agreed to a present Conference in the Painted Chamber.

Whereupon the Persons appointed, accompanied with several other Members of this House, did attend the said Conference.

Mr. Solicitor reports from the Conference, That they had acquainted the Lords, that this House had agreed to the First and Third Amendment; and that the Second (being an Addition), coming in Paper, was not regular: And that the Lords had agreed to take it into Consideration.

Confirming Ministers.
The House did again resume the Debate upon the Bill for confirming the Act for Ministers.
And a Proviso touching Mr. Honywood, was twice read: and, upon the Question, agreed to.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
A Proviso on the Behalf of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge was twice read.

And some Debate arising upon the Precedency of the University of Oxford before Cambridge:
And the Proviso being put to the Question;
The House was divided. ...
And several other Provisoes being tendered to be added to the Bill;
Resolved, That no more Provisoes be received, but what are already brought in: And that the House do sit on Monday in the Afternoon, to take the Provisoes, brought in, into Consideration.

Leave to attend Lords. ...
Ordered, That Sir John Prettyman have the Leave of this House to attend, and give his Testimony in the House of Lords, on the Behalf of Sir Henry Frederick Thynn.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
https://www.historyofparliamenton…
Privilege -- a Person discharged.
Mr. John Cressett (who, upon Information of a Breach of Privilege against Sir Soloman Swale, a Member of this House, was, by Order of the House, committed, and taken into Custody by the Serjeant at Arms) being this Day brought to the Bar of this House;
Resolved, upon the Question, That the said Mr. Cresselt [THE BODY SNATCHER - SDS] be discharged out of the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms; paying his Fees
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

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John Cresselt was discharged????????????? Tell us what his excuse was!

MAYBE it was because he had a "connection": Francis Cressett, Groom of the Privy Chamber extraordinary since Aug. 1660.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

It was the Lords who were worried about the immediate melting of silver coins today.
They also conferenced with the Commons about the Ministers' bill -- and

Bill to regulate Corporations. ...
ORDERED, That the Business concerning Corporations shall be taken up as soon as may be.

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Towns and cities were referred to as corporations in the 17th century.

No doubt our corporations have a legal basis which resembled the ideas behind ancient cities and towns; the Stuarts -- through the East India Company and their other speculative ventures (e.g. the Irish and American "plantations", ship insurance cooperatives, and the Guilds) -- were laying the foundations as well.

Tonyel  •  Link

'The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed.'
Never noticed this before - what was the Pleasure?

Cynara  •  Link

I’d like to know, too!

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Hmmmm -- good question. We need more examples of this usage.
Perhaps it's a euphemism for a break so the Lords could stretch, take consultations, snacks and bathroom breaks?

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

From Sandwich's log, at anchor in Tangier Bay:

December 14, Saturday.
A Council of War was held for the disposition of the fleet, and agreed a squadron for the eastward.
About noon Mr. Rolt and the Portuguese came in from Lisbon and brought letters from Sir Richard Fanshawe and the Conde da Ponte.
I sent this afternoon for Mr. Myles, but he excused himself upon a distemper.

Copied from
The Journal of Edward Mountagu,
First Earl of Sandwich
Admiral and General-at-Sea 1659 - 1665

Edited by RC Anderson
Printed for the Navy Records Society
MDCCCCXXIX

Section III - Mediterranean 1661/62

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Mr. Rolt -- I think this was Capt. [EDWARD?] Rolt of the frigate Martin
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Lisbon, Portugal --
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Ambassador Sir Richard Fanshawe
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
Amb. Francisco de Mello e Torres, Conde da Ponte
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…

Mr. Myles -- how fortunate the merchant Mr. Miles had riden from Lisbon to Tangier last autumn -- evidently he's a fount of information.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…

Peter Johnson  •  Link

" 'The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed.'
Never noticed this before - what was the Pleasure? " [Tonyel, above]

Perhaps at their discretion - cf 'detained at His Majesty's Pleasure'

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